


Nightmares

by elizabeth_darcy



Series: Pride and Prejudice Oneshots [11]
Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice (1995), Pride and Prejudice (2005), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Modern Era, Nightmares, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 09:09:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11437674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizabeth_darcy/pseuds/elizabeth_darcy
Summary: Four times William Darcy has helped others with their nightmares, and one time where he himself has a nightmare.Or, William Darcy never sleeps.





	Nightmares

~1~

The first time Darcy had ever comforted anyone from a nightmare was when he was barely eighteen. His parents had just died the week prior, and he spent every night tossing and turning in his bed, constantly shifting between crying and unrestful sleep.

He can still remember how broken Georgiana sounded, standing at the foot of his bed. She could barely say the one syllable of his name before breaking into sobs.

He immediately pushed off his covers and wrapped his arms around her. She let the whole of her body weight sag onto him, and he couldn't help but reconsider (for the millionth time) the many, MANY weights that had been suddenly dropped upon his shoulders since that plane crash.

He then kicked himself for pitying himself- again- when Georgiana needed his full attention and care. This was not about him right now.

"Come on," he murmured, lifting Georgiana to his bed. He stroked her hair as she grabbed fistfuls of his nightshirt and wetted them with her tears.

After a long while, she sniffed to clear her nose so she could breath again.

"I had" she choked on her words, "Nightmare."

Darcy pulled away to look her in the eyes, "You did?"

She nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She frowned, thinking. Her eyes scanned about the room as she tried to form words. Darcy heard her loudly swallow before she opened her mouth to explain.

"You" was the only word she could say before returning to body racking sobs.

Darcy wanted to cry himself. She was, and always had been, the most important person in his life. To see her so distraught was heart wrenching. He felt anger at the world stirring up inside of him- she was too young to have to go through their parents' fatal plane crash. It wasn't fair. _Make me go through the pain twice_ , he offered,  _but leave her be._

Again, he redirected his thoughts exclusively back to comforting Georgiana. He stroked her hair more, continuing to say "Let it out, let it out."

She was able to pull herself back together quicker this time, and all Darcy could see was her immense strength. She was only eight, and she was already handling this entire mess better than he was.

She sat back and wiped her snot with her arm before determinedly looking into Darcy's eyes to continue.

"You were..."

She was visibly shaking- Darcy could see that even in the dark room.

"On..." she began to slip back into tears but caught herself, "On the plane."

She crashed against him, breathing heavily as more tears fell. She hugged him as tightly as she could and he squeezed back just as much.

Darcy wondered if he himself was in a nightmare. He hoped he was. He hoped he could wake up in the morning and this would all be over.

 

~2~

Georgiana was much older the next time (15), and much less prone to revealing any weaknesses she had to her older brother. Darcy could tell how determined she was to prove to herself and to everyone around her that she was strong. Darcy didn't understand why it was so important to her, but he complied nonetheless.

But then George Wickham came along, completely destroying everything that she was. Including her beautiful spirit.

She no longer had the strength to even pretend she was strong. And that's what hurt most when Darcy woke up to find her standing at the end of his bed, like all those years ago when she was eight. He knew Georgiana was permanently scarred from what that monster had done to her if she was coming to him for help.

"I... uh..." She began, quiet as a mouse. Suddenly she furrowed her eyebrows with regret and shook her head, "I woke you up. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done- that was stupid- I'm just being-"

"Georgiana," Darcy interrupted. She looked up at him, obediently.

"It's okay. I don't need to sleep. What's wrong?"

She frowned deeply and waited there without saying anything.

"He's in my dreams," she finally admitted after a long silence. "My nightmares. I keep... I keep seeing it, over and over again every night. And I-"

Her voice broke and Darcy rushed out of bed to comfort her. She fell to the ground crying, and Darcy pulled her into his arms.

"It just keeps happening," her voice wavered, "It's been almost a full week in a row, Will- I don't know what-" She cut out again as she let her emotions flood.

Darcy didn't know what to say. He never knew what to say. He hated that about himself; he was awful with words.

"I don't know what's going to happen," he said honestly, "I don't know if your nightmares will ever stop, and I'm not going to promise that they will, because I don't know. But I _do_ know that I will be here for you no matter what. I will stay up with you all night every night if that's what you need. I will sleep with you every night if that's what you need. I am here for you and I will always be here for you. You are the strongest girl I have ever met in my entire life and I believe in your ability to get through this. You don't deserve any of this shit, but I do think that if anyone can handle it, it's you."

"But why does it have to be me?!" She cried.

Darcy sighed into her, "I don't know. I don't know. But I know you are smart, you are strong, you are resourceful, and you're going to make it through this. _We_ are going to make it through this."

She remained silent for a long time.

Darcy slipped a blanket from his bed and wrapped her in it before guiding her up to the mattress.

"Come on, sleep with me tonight."

She quietly followed his instructions and moved under the covers.

He did so as well, settling in and wrapping his body around hers.

He held her close, praying to the heavens for some kind of solution to make his sister better. She at least deserved that. She deserved _everything_.

"Thank you for being with me," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

He smiled slightly and kissed the top of her head. Right now, maybe holding her was the best solution there was.

 

~3~

Darcy pried his eyes open and checked the Caller ID on his vibrating phone. He sighed and clicked the green button before putting it up to his ear, "Charles, it's 3AM." This would not be the first time the man had called Darcy in the middle of the night. Usually, he would drunkenly ramble about how much he adored whichever girl he was in love with that week. Needless to say, Darcy almost always hung up.

"I had a nightmare," Charlie said, breathlessly.

Darcy sat up, fully awake now, "What happened?"

"I... I was at Jane's funeral-" he choked on a sob. Darcy regretted his attitude at the beginning of the call.

He had nothing to say, so he let Charlie continue, "I don't know what I was thinking, Darcy," he explained, attempting to sober himself, "Why did I leave her? What was I doing?"

"We thought she was a gold digger-"

" _You_ thought she was a gold digger," Charlie snapped. Darcy's mouth fell open at his aggressiveness and Charlie checked himself, "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you. It's not your fault, you were trying to help. I... I just can't believe I let you talk me out of my relationship with her... I _loved_ her, Darcy. I still do love her."

Darcy swallowed, regret spilling out of him, "I'm sorry, Charlie," he admitted, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you told me that before. I should have listened."

"It's... I forgive you. But where does that leave me?"

"Go back to her."

"It's not that simple!" Charlie snapped again, "God, I'm sorry, it's just so late... I'm not thinking correctly."

"Consider it forgotten," Darcy brushed it off. Charlie had never yelled at him. Ever. And considering what Darcy had put him through, he deserved a lot more than a couple yells from a punchy, sleep deprived Charlie.

"But it's really not that simple..." he paused. _"Is_ it that simple?"

"It might be. Lizzy said that Jane loved you too, so it's just a matter of forgiveness, I think." Darcy wished his own lack of relationship with Lizzy was about forgiveness. That would sure make it a lot easier...

"Do you think she would forgive me?"

"I think you should ask her," Darcy said, "Go visit her."

"She won't want to see me."

"We don't know that for sure. Knock on her door tomorrow and ask to talk. Even if she doesn't agree to get back with you, you both need closure."

"Okay," Charlie agreed, "Okay, I will, thank you."

"Good."

"Mm," Darcy could hear Charlie's frown, "Nevermind, I can't do it."

"Charlie!"

"Darcy, I'm going to throw up on her porch from nervousness! There's no way-"

"You can do this, Charlie."

"Come with me," he suggested, suddenly.

Darcy almost laughed, "I think I've ruined the relationship between you two enough. It should just be you."

"Please? Lizzy will be there."

"Even more of a reason why I shouldn't go. You don't need Lizzy to be shouting all the reasons she hates me while you are trying to confess your love to Jane. Seriously, going alone is best."

"But-"

"You'll do great! Call me back after you've done it, bye!"

He hung up before Charlie could protest anymore.

 

~4~

Darcy squinted up at the light from the doorway trying to make out the silhouette of the person standing within it.

_Was that...?_

"Lizzy," Darcy sat up quickly, ready to attend to whatever she needed. Georgiana had offered the Darcy house when Lizzy asked for a place to crash for her weekend business trip upstate. Georgiana had failed to mention, however, that it was **that** Lizzy she was bringing over. She also failed to mention that she herself had lots of plans for this weekend, meaning that the two would be left alone rather often.

"Oh, God, I'm- I'm sorry. This was stupid of me, I shouldn't-"

Darcy noticed the unsteadiness of her voice. Something was very wrong... "Are you-" he flicked on the light "- crying."

He deflated as he saw the redness of her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "What happened?"

"No, nothing, nothing-" she shooed, turning around to leave.

"Lizzy," he called, causing her to stop. He stood up from the bed and went to her, "Lizzy, tell me."

She turned back around and Darcy saw the pain in her eyes.

"It was... it was just a bad dream... I'm okay-"

"You're not okay," he told her, "What happened in the dream?"

She kept eye contact for a silent moment before breaking it and looking down, "It's... Lydia was hurt, she was..."

She burst into tears and Darcy wrapped his arms around her. He knew all too well about nightmares involving younger siblings in trouble.

"It's okay," he assured her softly, "It wasn't real. You're okay, Lydia is okay, everything is okay."

Lizzy just cried harder into his chest.

Darcy couldn't help but feel like he was infringing on the boundaries she had set. If she were not so upset, she would probably slap him for touching her.

_You're comforting her, this is not wrong of you to do,_ he told himself. If only he would believe that...

Lizzy pulled away from him when she finally regained her composure, "I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't be sorry."

She met his eyes for a moment. "Yes," she agreed, looking away, "Thank you."

"Is there anything else you need?" He asked, tentatively.

"No, thanks."

Darcy had never heard her so quiet. He nodded, and watched as she slipped out the door and back to her room.

He sighed, dragging a hand over his face, returning to his bed, and rustling back under the covers. He turned to switch the light off when he saw that she had returned to the doorway.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I..." She bit her lip, "I'm sure this is awful of me to ask, but... do you... can I stay in here? I just... I don't know if I can be alone right now..."

Darcy blinked, surprised.

"I'll sleep on the floor, of course-" she added, quickly.

He frowned, "You don't have to. You can sleep on the bed, if you want," he said.

He wanted to kick himself immediately after the words fell out of his mouth. Of _course_ she didn't want to sleep in the bed with HIM, she wasn't-

"Okay," she agreed, softly.

Darcy gave her a reassuring smile and patted the part of the mattress next to him.

She quietly made her way toward the bed and softly laid upon it, bundling up under the covers- much to Darcy's shock. He was sure she would've stayed on top of them as to avoid any kind of contact with him.

_Was Darcy dreaming???_

He slowly turned off the light, still disbelieving what was happening.

He laid, still and silent, as Lizzy's breathing slowed from apprehension and nerves into the deep. calming lull of sleep.

He stared at the ceiling, wide awake, simply listening to her steady breathing pattern. If he should never see her again after her stay here, he promised himself that this was enough. He felt blessed for the small amount he had seen of her in the past year, and he would take that gratefully.

•••••

Darcy blinked awake and found himself completely entangled with Lizzy. His heart nearly stopped with shock. Lizzy's arm was holding his arm to her chest- his other arm resting near the small of her back, and his legs were mixed between tangled sheets and Lizzy's own legs.

His chest felt like he was on a roller coaster, and he couldn't decide whether he was elated or going to throw up. Maybe both?

Before he could determine a strategy, Lizzy awoke as well.

They met each others gaze silently, with wide eyes and open mouths.

Neither person had any clue what to say. Darcy finally decided that he should pull away when Lizzy moved forward and connected their lips. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he thought about what this could mean or how this could have happened, but he quickly shoved all those thoughts aside and kissed her back. None of that mattered.

She was allowing him to kiss her right now for possibly the only time in his life, and he was going to cherish every moment of it.

He kissed her back softly, removing his arms from their entanglement and taking her face in his hands.

When they finally pulled apart for air, they both held just as much shock in their eyes as before.

"What was that?" Darcy whispered.

"I thought you hated me," she chuckled.

"I thought _you_ hated _me_."

"I did, then. But I haven't for a long time..."

"Do you think you could have told me when you stopped hating me?" He teased, half serious, "It really would've helped..."

She grinned, looking at him from under her eyelashes, "But that would've made it too easy on you."

He laughed breathlessly, "I think I deserve for something to be easy for once."

She smiled and interlocked their fingers together, "Well, maybe now it is."

He grinned back and leaned forward to kiss her again.

Now he was certain he was dreaming...

 

~5~

Darcy's eyes shot open as he gasped for air. He calmed himself quickly and ripped his disgustingly soaked shirt from his chest, tossing it to the ground.

"What happened?"

Darcy turned, surprised, to see his girlfriend moving away from her desk and climbing back on the bed.

"Why are you up?" He asked, forgetting his dreams.

"I couldn't sleep. But what happened to you? Did you have a nightmare?"

He shrugged, brushing it off, "It was nothing."

"No, babe, don't say that. A nightmare isn't nothing."

Darcy made an oddly confused face.

"What?" Lizzy asked.

He shook his head, "I'm just... really accustomed to nightmares is all," he rubbed the back of his neck, "They don't phase me too much anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I've had them most nights of my life, Liz," he replied, frowning yet nonchalant, "I'm used to them."

"WHAT?"

"This isn't my first time having one around you. I just manage not to wake you up. Again, I'm used to it."

"But why?"

He smiled slightly, "When you become the heir to a family with millions of dollars to its name because your parents died when you were teenager, leaving you as the guardian to the most precious baby sister in the world, your conscious doesn't exactly let you have an easy night's sleep."

She took his hand, "I'm so sorry, Will. That's awful."

He shrugged again.

"No, no, I'm going to comfort you," she decided, determinedly getting out of bed.

He groaned, "Then why are you moving farther away?"

She took her mug from the desk that she had been working at and handed it to him, "It's hot cocoa."

He chuckled as she flipped on the ceiling fan and bounced back into bed, snuggling against him.

"Feel better?" She asked.

"You're adorable," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"But are you feeling better?"

He smiled lazily, "Better than I've felt in a long time."

She smiled back.

Maybe nightmares weren't always such a bad thing...

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed it and read my other fics!
> 
> This one wasn't my best but it's been in my drafts for about a year so I just needed to post it!  
> I know the waking up cuddling in bed cliche is overdone, but it's a personal fav and I finally had a chance to use it so I took advantage of that.
> 
> Check out my tumblr: were-what-killed-the-dinosaurs.tumblr.com


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